Apple removes Intifada app after Israeli request

Apple Inc has removed at Israel's request an Arabic-language application from its iTunes store that called for a Palestinian uprising, an Israeli government statement said on Thursday.

Public Diplomacy Minister Yuli-Yoel Edelstein wrote to Apple on Tuesday, complaining that the ThirdIntifada application -- a reference to a future uprising -- conveyed information about protests, some violent, planned against Israel.

A statement issued by Edelstein's ministry on Thursday welcomed Apple's swift action in removing the application and praised the company's decision as another important step in preventing violent incitement in the new media.

A search for ThirdIntifada in the iTunes store found no matches.

The application offered users a stream of news stories and editorials in Arabic, announced upcoming protests and included links to nationalistic Palestinian videos and songs.

Edelstein said the developers of the application had opened a similar page on Facebook three months ago that called for an uprising against Israel through the use of lethal force.

He said he had complained to Facebook, which subsequently removed the page.

In the ministry statement announcing Apple's move, Edelstein was quoted as saying the company, like Facebook, had proven it shared values that stand in opposition to violence, incitement and terror.